Minutes of the Gardnerville Ranchos General Improvement District
Board of Trustees meeting held Tuesday October 13, 2015 @ 6:00pm at 931 Mitch Drive, Gardnerville, NV.
Pledge of Allegiance: Led by Jeff James
Trustees Present: Jeff James, Cade Baligad, Brad Newlon, and Leann Teter. David Bourne has submitted his resignation.
Also Present: Beth Cook, Bob Spellberg, Mike Rowe, Michael Bennett and the public.
Public Comment: Chuck Hill read the District’s water contingency plan. He recommended a few changes be made to the plan. Use water days instead of odd-even, and set the lawn mower higher than 3 inches. He would like the District to encourage new home builders to use water efficient methods in the home.
Approval of Agenda: Cade Baligad motioned to approve the agenda. Leann Teter seconded the motion. All ayes. Agenda approved.
Approval of Minutes: Cade Baligad motioned to approve the minutes of the September 10, 2015 Board meeting. Jeff James abstained because he was not available for the whole meeting. Leann Teter seconded the motion. 3 ayes. Minutes approved.
REPORTS
District Engineer: Mike Bennett reviewed the October tracking schedule.
District Counsel: Mike Rowe explained that the District authorized Counsel to participate in the litigation in the 7th District in Eureka County several months ago. This month the Supreme Court reversed the District Court’s ruling and remanded it back to the District Court of Eureka County for retrial on the issues of the adverse impacts from all the water being moved around.
Mike has prepared a letter for MGSD’s counsel regarding a request MGSD has made for the District to contribute $350,758.00 to a co-generation facility at MGSD. The District does not feel that contribution should be paid. The District feels that the various other fees the District pays throughout the year should be sufficient. If the Board is comfortable with the letter, Mike will mail it the MGSD’s Counsel tomorrow.
Mike suggested the Board possibly repeal the resolution for invocation. Nothing has been done since the resolution was passed. If the Board would like to repeal this resolution, Bob can put it on the agenda for the Board to revisit.
The vacancy on the Board has been published and Mike suggested there be an item on the November agenda to elect a new Vice Chairman.
District Manager: Bob explained the street project is mostly complete and some curb and gutters are currently being worked on.
NEW BUSINESS
- Discuss a petition to add speed control devices to Wheeler Way between Langley and Tillman Lane. Action Item.
Bob explained that a petition was presented to the District by residents on Wheeler Way between Tillman and Langley requesting a speed hump be placed on the street. A study was conducted by Lumos and Associates to see if the speeding traffic met the criteria within the manual. The criterion were not met. Alternate methods include speed limit signs, slow signs or stripes. Signs have been placed on the road, but the street is not wide enough for stripes.
Cade Baligad motioned to deny the request for the installation of speed humps on Wheeler Way between Tillman and Langley due to not meeting criteria within the District’s Policies and Procedure Manual. Jeff James seconded the motion. All ayes. Motion passed.
Public Comment: None
- Discuss videotaping District sewer lines as part of the District’s sewer master plan that is being put together by Lumos and Associates. Action Item.
Bob explained that part of the sewer master plan is to videotape sewer mainlines. This could cost up to $90,000. He recommends completing the project in two phases.
Cade Baligad motioned to approve videotaping of the District sewer lines not to exceed $75000 with District Staff prioritizing the streets to be videotaped. Leann Teter seconded the motion. All ayes. Motion passed.
Public Comment: None
- Discuss the County Commission’s decision to not turn ownership of rights of way within the District over to the District. Action Item.
Bob explained that the Douglas County Commission voted to not turn over ownership of the rights of way to the District. The Deputy District Attorney did explain that the District could apply for a portion of the gas tax for the roads the District owns. The District could also tell the County to maintain their own roads within the District. Mike does not recommend leaving the County to maintain the District roads because they would not be maintained to the District’s current standards. Bob would like for Mike to figure out how many road miles the District owns, go back to the County and ask for a portion of the gas tax to help maintain those roads.
Jeff James motioned to authorize District staff to request Douglas County to reimburse the District gas tax for the amount of District maintained roads within the District. Leann Teter seconded the motion. All ayes. Motion passed.
Public Comment: None.
- Possible action to approve a project to enhance the bicycle pump track at Mitch Park.
Bob presented to the Board a list of a few ideas for the Mitch Park pump track. After some discussion from the Board, it was decided do to several options.
- Rework part of the pump track, changing some of the obstacles that need a new shape.
- Add more jumps to the open areas within the current pump track footprint.
- Add a Strider track for the very young riders.
- Enlarge the pump track by using the unused area to the south of the current pump track.
Cade Baligad motioned to approve these options not to exceed $45,000. Jeff James seconded the motion. All ayes. Motion passed.
Public Comment: None
- Possible action to revise the Board’s rules and regulations to address attendance at the Board of Trustees meetings. Action item.
Brad Newlon feels that it is very difficult to run meetings and make quality decisions when the Board is incomplete. He requested Bob to have the attendance pulled for the last few years. Since 2011 the Trustees has collected $15,000 in absentee fees. Brad would like to see a policy put in place to address this issue. His idea was to allow 1 meeting missed per year with no consequence. The second meeting missed, deduct $250.00, and any meeting missed after, lose the whole paycheck. Mike Rowe stated that the District cannot establish a standard that says what is a reasonable or an unreasonable absence. The District can adopt a standard that says you miss a meeting, you miss a paycheck.
Cade Baligad motioned that if you miss one meeting a year, you collect your whole paycheck. If you missed 2 meetings a year, you collect a $250.00 paycheck. Any meetings after that no paycheck is received. Brad Newlon seconded the motion.
2 ayes, Cade and Brad, 2 nays, Jeff and Leann. Motion failed.
Public Comment: Chuck Hill stated this is going a bit too far and this motion is not necessary. He would like to see this handled a bit lower key.
John Phalen stated that even if a person doesn’t attend a meeting, the problem is there is still not a full Board, so the problem is still not solved.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Jeff James motioned to accept the consent calendar. Leann Teter seconded the motion. All ayes. Motion passed.
REPORTS
Cade Baligad is happy with the District keeping the nets up at the Basketball courts. He likes the rest area around the pump track.
Brad Newlon thanked David Bourne for his service within the District.
ADJOURNMENT
Cade Baligad motioned to adjourn the meeting. Jeff James seconded the motion. All ayes. Meeting adjourned at 8:20 pm.
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Beth Cook, Acting Secretary
